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Messi Channels Maradona
On Way to Amazing Goal

By

Carl Bialik and

Jason Fry

Updated April 20, 2007 12:31 p.m. ET

In 1987, a year and two days after Argentina's Diego Maradona scored what would later be voted as the best goal in World Cup history, Lionel Messi was born. The Barcelona striker and fellow Argentine has been named by Maradona as his successor, and on Wednesday, two months shy of his 20th birthday, Mr. Messi paid homage. His goal for Barcelona in the semifinals of the Spanish Cup against Getafe was an astonishing bit of mimicry, hewing closely to the lofty standard set by Maradona as he scored the quarterfinal's clincher en route to a World Cup triumph.